Having our son attend Salo Academy was both a unique and deeply rewarding experience. We are incredibly grateful for the dedication and passion Mrs. Salo brings to her teaching. She consistently goes above and beyond to ensure her students feel supported, challenged, and valued – both academically and as individuals.
What sets her apart is the genuine care she shows for each student. She takes the time to understand their strengths, challenges, and learning styles, thoughtfully tailoring her approach to meet their
individual needs. Her warm, supportive nature helps students build confidence and truly believe in their ability to reach their full potential.
We especially appreciate how she gently encouraged our son to step outside his comfort zone in ways that strengthened his confidence and discipline. Because of her guidance, he entered high school feeling self-assured, and he continues to thrive academically today. Academics at Salo Academy are thoughtfully balanced with meaningful opportunities for students to simply enjoy being children. Whether it was daily outdoor time—sledding was a particular favorite for our son—or the weekly educational field trips that brought learning to life, the school creates an environment where curiosity, joy, and creativity flourish alongside discipline and achievement.
Salo Academy was truly a blessing for our family. Our son not only received an exceptional education, but he was also guided by Mrs. Salo, who became a positive and lasting influence in his life.
~Holly J
The Salo Academy was an absolute gift in my daughter’s education. The small size of the school allows the material to be fully catered to the student. The speed of instruction is dictated by the students’ understanding and interest. The home environment of the school allows for lunch eaten around the kitchen table, morning walks, and biking or scootering around the neighborhood. My daughter has many happy memories of gardening at the Salo Academy. She also very much enjoyed learning Latin, which is a very rare language to find taught in schools anymore.
My daughter has dyslexia and when she started at the Salo Academy she was pretty far behind her classmates. The three years she spent there not only caught her up to grade level but accelerated her beyond, and now she is very successful in high school.
~Hanna R
teach for the Urbana School district and have two daughters. My older daughter, who is now in 9th grade, is dyslexic and autistic. We met Mrs. Salo when our daughter was having a difficult 6th grade year, after an even more difficult 5th grade year, when she was cut down to 2 hours of school per day. Mrs. Salo was truly a godsend for her! She attended Salo Academy from October to May of her 6th grade year and her academic and social skills boomed during that time.
She loved her walks and bike rides around the block to start off school every morning, learned about Leonardo DaVinci, learned all the countries and capitals on several continents, caught up with 2 years of math, and wrote enough notes to fill 2 binders. Mrs. Salo would organize a field trip every Friday and lots of science experiments. The one with dry ice was a favorite. Her favorite field trip was to the U of I green house, where she got to see rare exotic plants. She still has the African mask and the boomerang she made with Mrs. Salo while studying about Africa and Australia.
By the end of her 6th grade year with Mrs. Salo, she was ready to go back to public school with great study habits and a determination to succeed. At the end of 8th grade, she received the Principal’s Award at Mahomet Middle School for her improvements. She is in 9th grade now, and made the honors list the first semester. She remembers fondly her time with Mrs. Salo and her classmates. The 8 months she spent at Salo Academy truly changed her life and we are grateful for all the patience Mrs Salo had with her!
~Florence M.